Clinically Speaking The Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., can trace its history to a tornado that swept through the state in 1883. Two young doctors, brothers William J. Mayo (born on this date in 1861) and Charles H. Mayo, worked with a group of nuns from the order of the Sisters of St. Francis to treat the victims. Their partnership lead to the founding of the 27-bed Saint Mary's Hospital in 1889. In 1912, with the help of Dr. Henry Plummer, a new building was designed and opened in 1914 as the Mayo Clinic. Some of the nation's first medical specialties were organized at the Mayo Clinic, including orthopedics in 1912, neurology in 1913 and pediatrics in 1917. More than 5 million people have been treated at the Mayo Clinic since its founding.
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